Dwyane Wade is doing his best to protect his daughter from internet trolls.
15-year-old Zaya Wade recently shared photos from a new Tiffany & Co. campaign, prompting an outpouring of kindness from friends and fans. But far too many bigots have frequently felt the need to spew cruelty at the teenager, just because she’s transgender, and social media is unfortunately a ripe place to send that type of messaging directly to their intended targets.
But Dwyane isn’t interested in exposing Zaya to trolls, and the NBA star explained as much in a recent tweet addressing a request to allow the public to comment on her photos.
“For Zaya’s mental health and privacy we’ve decided not to allow the hate into her comments,” he wrote. “Thank you for wanting to spread and send her love.”
\u201cFor Zaya\u2019s mental health and privacy we\u2019ve decided not to allow the hate into her comments. Thank you for wanting to spread and send her love \ud83e\udee1\u201d— DWade (@DWade) 1664487575
The proud father has spoken candidly over the years about embracing and supporting his daughter on her gender identity journey, even when it’s resulted in a transphobic backlash against him and his wife Gabrielle Union (Zaya’s stepmother).
“We [are] just trying to figure out as much information as we can to make sure that we give our child the best opportunity to be her best self,” he told Ellen DeGeneres back in 2020. “We want [our kids] to be whoever they feel that they can be in this world.”
Giving Zaya and his other children the tools they need to be confident in who they are in a world that might want to tear them down – while also trying to protect them from that world until they are old enough to go out on their own – can’t be an easy task, but Dwyane seems to be doing an admirable job nonetheless.
\u201c@ohjasminee @DwyaneWade That part! Her parents are being amazing parents.\u201d— DWade (@DWade) 1664487575
\u201cThere\u2019s a scene in Disclosure with Jen Richards where she ends up crying thinking about how seeing a father accepted his trans child made her confront the fact that she never even thought that was possible for herself. \n\nThat\u2019s how I feel watching Dwyane move around Zaya.\u201d— the girl in di back of di room (@the girl in di back of di room) 1664499844
\u201c@TityMeat @DwyaneWade This is how you parent. A lot of people could learn how to safeguard their children like @DwyaneWade does\u201d— DWade (@DWade) 1664487575
\u201c@DwyaneWade as someone who too would love to comment, I wholeheartedly honor & appreciate the way you and Gabby show up 2 protect her. I'm a 20yr member of the ballroom scene & it brings me much joy to see a different and protected life experience for a black girl of trans experience. \ud83d\udc9e\u201d— DWade (@DWade) 1664487575
\u201cI can't express enough how amazing it is to see Black fathers like Dwyane Wade and Lil Nas X father love their Black LGBT children outloud and proud. This is needed. The imagery is needed. We need more of this in tv shows and films too.\u201d— Jason (StarWind) (@Jason (StarWind)) 1664551901
Zaya herself has spoken out in the past about the types of comments she’s received since coming out as trans, with people telling her who she should be and how she should strive to look — making it sound like even perhaps well-intentioned comments might be doing some damage.
“I don't have to believe everything they say,” she said. “The only thing I have to believe is what I feel and what beauty means to me.”
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